Last of the wood

Today is March 2, -17F and I'm looking at the last three pieces of wood allocated for this winter. It's been such a cold winter that we went through the wood much faster than normal. Now I'll have to start using what is stored in the wood shed for next winter. Good thing I'm a bit obsessive about being ready!

This is what happens when I get to longing for spring:

I just had to buy some flowers. Oh, they smell lovely.

I've been working on egg cleanup this morning. The hens are just as tired of snow and winter as I but keep laying.

Friday evening

Still brutally cold (will winter ever ease its grip?), not that the weather really changes what we do of an evening, and we are clustered around the fire.

The frozen chicken water thaws next to the stove - for some reason the cats prefer it to their own water as Trigger demonstrates.

 Sassy enjoys the extended nap time that an elderly cat deserves.

 Tommy snuggles on the softest item he can find and closest to a possible petting at my feet.

Loki plays with one of those expensive toys we provide for our cats...the empty paper bag.

In a gesture defiant of winter, today I ordered more fruit trees: 2 plum, a peach and some grapes. I suspect this may be a year when, after we have given up hope, springtime will leap out and shout 'Boo!' More snow tomorrow and dangerous wind chills. Aargh.

Questions

Where did these light switches come from and why don't they turn anything on?

Why did my mom leave cherry stems and stones on the bathroom floor?

Why can't I pee?

Answer: It's a dream!

Too much sharing

My coworkers seem determined to share the worst of themselves. This time, it's a horrid cold. Why can't sick people stay home instead of making everyone else sick too? I know if I still feel this bad in the morning, I won't be going to work.

It's been bitterly cold outside as well still. I try to get some extra treats out to the chickens when the weather is foul; today they got warm rice. I've noticed that even with plenty of feed available, boredom makes them more likely to eat eggs. We're all ready for spring!

This corner doesn't look like much, does it? What it represents though, is a space that has been thoroughly decluttered and organized! For more months than I care to guess this had become a dumping ground for everything that didn't get put away immediately. Then, because I didn't feel up to it...it all stayed and attracted more stuff. Yesterday I turned on music and just started in on the sorting. My cold slowed me down enough that it took all day, but how nice to be done. :)

My son was definitely unimpressed. I didn't realize that he doesn't mind clutter as long as it isn't in his way!

Yo-yo weather

It goes up a bit then crashes down; up for a day...down for a couple. Add in the annoyance of menopause and my internal temp is all over the place too - shivering during the day and roasting at night. I am thoroughly sick of winter!

So, I've been making plans for spring. I'm going to fence off part of the chicken pen and let the grass grow (hopefully we get enough rain this year) then when I turn them loose it will be lush and full of bugs...yummy!

Batten down the hatches

I'm glad today was a work at home day because I would have had to stay over if I was in the city. I wish we had gotten loads of snow though, then I'd have an excuse to stay home tomorrow too! So, while it's a blizzard outside, we are snug in our house and I'm going to use wood from the porch tonight instead of venturing back out. Chickens are fine inside the coop also.

A nearby town had a water emergency yesterday. The cover of their water supply collapsed and contaminated it. Residents are requested to avoid using water and boiling any they must use while the well is pumped out and repairs made. Suddenly, my habit of saving shower water in the tub between showers for flushing the toilet doesn't seem so daft.

My sister sent me an artisan bread kit which resulted in this:

My son said it seemed like a lot of work for a funny shaped loaf of bread. Next time I'll try one of the more interesting recipes.

Yesterday I made my annual pilgrimage to the county court house. In one trip I paid the property taxes, got the vehicle tags and renewed my CCW permit. While the taxes can be split up through the year, I like knowing it's done and if financial crisis hit, this wouldn't be an issue.

Time to put another log on the fire.

Ding Dong, the witch is dead!

Or perhaps it's a case of the criminal returning to the scene of the crime. When I went out to get the eggs, I found the opossum inside the coop and all the chickens outside. I quick closed it up and called for help. Since my son is at work I started calling around and my retired neighbor agreed to come down with his .22. Within a few minutes he had thrown the body over the fence into his pasture. It was big! I can see how it could easily kill poor Duchess and Princess. So, the chickens are safer and justice is done.

Why didn't I shoot it myself? I've never shot anything alive before and the idea makes me nervous. Someday I may have to, but not today.